The Elements of Grace in the Life of Heinrich Harrer

Submitted by: A. Wilbert S. Dianon, SDB

 

In the autumn of 1939, Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt), the famous Austrian mountaineer, and a team led by his countryman Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis), set out to climb Nanga Parbat, one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas.

The self-centered Harrer, whose sole preoccupation was the achievement of fame and glory experienced an emotional awakening as he embarks on a fantastic journey that would take him from the excitement of the climb to the depths of internment in a British prisoner-of-war camp, then from escape and a harrowing two-year trek through the Himalayas to the mysterious, forbidden Tibetan city of Lhasa. As a stranger in a strange land which few westerners have ever visited, Harrer was befriended by the young Dalai Lama, and became the religious leader's tutor in English, geography and the ways of the western world.

He would spend seven years in Tibet - during a period of tremendous political upheaval in that country -- graced with the friendship and the spiritual enlightenment of the eleven year-old Dalai Lama. In the land of the Dalai Lama, the selfish and egotistical Harrer experienced an awakening of selflessness, allowing him to complete the emotional transformation which began on his way to Lhasa.

In the movie, we can see many traces of GRACE in the event of Harrer’s sojourn to Tibet. In the first scenes of the movie, Heinrich  was portrayed as a selfish and arrogant man, cruel to his pregnant wife and insensitive to her feelings. He prioritized personal ambition over his responsibility to the woman he loved.

Grace is hesed or goodness, referring to his wife who loved him so much. And yet, he abandoned her. While he was away, he continued writing to her about his life in the Himalayas. That was a gracious event in his life; for that gave him the will to return back no matter what. Heinrich’s  person is a gift for himself. He was not just aware of it. That person of courage, endurance amidst adversities and perseverance is truly a gift he was depending on to survive from the prison to his long and arduous journey to the forbidden city of Tibet.

Heirich was blessed by the person of Peter Aufschnaiter. Without him, he could not have survived his stomach disorder, his waning spirit and could not have gone as far as Lhasa. Peter was indeed a companion who initiated him to think first of others before himself. And yet he still had the guts to deceive him in many instances. Peter showed kindness to him since from the time they escaped from prison up to the time they arrived in Lhasa.

The coming to Lhasa, a spiritual center for Tibetans, is symbolic for of Heinrich. The natives in Tibet had a great veneration toward the Dalai Lama so much so they believed he was their temporal and spiritual leader. They spoke highly of him. The person of the Dalai Lama is for them the image of the divine who will grant them favors and graces. Moreover, their annual pilgrimage to Lhasa cleansed them of the guilt they acquired within the year. For them, going to Lhasa was a gracious event.

This is also true for Heinrich and his companion. Here in this highly religious society, Heinrich is slowly transformed into a better person. He was blessed by the friendship the boy -Dalai Lama had on him. The boy astounded him in his desire or knowledge. Later on, they became very close friends. More than being a teacher to the boy about the European lifestyle, he learned many things from the simple Dalai Lama. He learned self - giving and sacrifice for others needs. He learned respect for persons in need and patience over the inconveniences of poor people. And most of all, the boy imparted him the sense of responsibility especially to his son. He wished that Heinrich would return home and see the situation of his son.

In Lhasa, Heinrich slowly changed. It was shown when he gave back the watch to Peter, which he took by deceit. He experienced the evil of man back in his country (during the war), but his paradigm changed after he lived with the people in Lhasa. The people were simple and God-fearing. They were very welcoming and attested to by that official who treated them kindly despite of their nationality. During the invasion of China, Heinrich saw the gracious people treated harshly by these irreligious men. Somehow, he associated this evil with the evil of the Nazi regime in Germany and Austria.

But despite of this, the people were very hopeful that their situation would someday end. Indeed the people’s character were really a gracious sign for this foreigner in this country. The goodness of the people changed the self-centered Harrer. Anyway, in the end grace triumphed over evil. Harrer was able to reach his dreamt heights of Nanga Parbat.

Even if how evil a person is, had someone had just enough courage to help him/her, that person will surely changed his ways. Goodness comes from God himself, who wished everyone to come to the knowledge of himself/herself and transcend his limitedness and shortcomings. The pilgrimage to Lhasa was truly a God-experience for Heinrich Harrer!